Salary up to £75,000 DOE, plus up to £5,000 Relocation Allowance and up to £5,000 Welcome Bonus
7 Nights On / 14 Nights Off | RCVS Accredited Hospital | Progressive, Family-Oriented Practice
Hart Veterinary Centre is a long-established RCVS Accredited Hospital in Bicester, and we’re looking for a confident Night Vet to join our team. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of our OOH service. At Hart, we pride ourselves on being a supportive, forward-thinking, and collaborative team where your ideas, input, and initiative are genuinely valued.
Modern Facilities with a Welcoming Feel
Our hospital has been designed to make life easier for both our patients and our team. We have separate cat and dog waiting areas to create a calm, stress-free environment, along with four consulting rooms, a dedicated theatre, digital X-ray, two prep areas, a cattery and doggery, and a dedicated isolation block. You’ll also find a well-equipped dispensary, office space close to the wards for quiet admin time, and a kitchen area stocked with essentials to keep you going through the night.
We’re proud of our facilities and continue to invest in keeping them up to date, our ground floor is currently undergoing a full refurbishment, and our reception area will soon be refreshed to ensure our practice remains modern, bright, and welcoming.
A Varied and Engaging Caseload
As a Night Vet, you’ll be responsible for caring for our inpatients and handling emergencies that arise through the night. We provide OOH cover for five other local practices, so no two shifts are ever the same. You’ll have the autonomy to work cases up thoroughly and make clinical decisions with confidence.
Our patients are mainly cats, dogs, rabbits, and small furries, although we also see our fair share of wildlife with the local community often brings injured animals to us, which we stabilise before transferring them to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital for rehabilitation and release.
Typical cases include GDVs, caesareans, splenectomies, and a wide variety of ECC emergencies. You’ll have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical equipment, including DR X-ray, endoscopy, ultrasound, capnography, ligasure, incubators, and IDEXX machines, giving you the tools and confidence to deliver outstanding care.
Confidence, Independence, and Support
This is a role for a confident and capable vet who’s comfortable with sole charge and decision-making. You’ll always be supported by a highly experienced RVN throughout your shift, ensuring patient care is delivered safely and efficiently.
The wider team includes 13 vets, many of whom hold certificates in Surgery, Imaging, and General Practice, so you’ll have a strong clinical network to collaborate with during handovers and case discussions. We also have mental health first aiders and wellbeing champions on the team, ensuring that support for your wellbeing is as strong as our clinical care.
A Practice That Values Learning and Giving Back
Hart Veterinary Centre is proud to be a teaching practice, where learning and development are encouraged at every level. While your main focus will be patient care, there are occasional opportunities to share your expertise with our graduates who are keen to learn more about ECC work, a rewarding way to pass on your skills and knowledge if you enjoy mentoring.
We also believe in giving back to the community, working closely with Oxford Animal Sanctuary and St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital to support local animal welfare initiatives.
Your Rota and Work-Life Balance
Our night rota is based on a 7 nights on / 14 nights off pattern, offering an excellent work-life balance. Each shift runs 7pm to 8am (13 hours), and you’ll always be paired with an experienced RVN. This is a waking role, although we’re happy to discuss details to ensure the schedule suits you. While we can’t offer part-time overnight shifts, we’re open to conversations about the pattern that works best for you.
Life in Bicester
Bicester is a thriving Oxfordshire town that perfectly combines a friendly community feel with modern convenience. Famous for Bicester Village, its designer outlet destination, the town also offers a great selection of restaurants, cafés, and independent shops. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, it’s ideal for those who love the outdoors with scenic walks, cycle routes, and historic landmarks nearby. Excellent transport links make life easy, with direct trains to London and Oxford, and quick access to the M40 for exploring further afield. Bicester offers a relaxed, welcoming lifestyle with everything you need right on your doorstep.
Because our people matter
We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary, you will benefit from -
Work-life balance
6.6 weeks annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays - this is to be taken during nights off and is factored into you payAdditional holiday entitlement for your birthday
Wellbeing
Private Medical InsuranceEmployee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential helpline Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy payInitiatives focused on employee wellbeing
Development
£1250 CPD allowance with 40 hours paid CPD leave pro rataCertificate supportLearning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia AcademyAccess to Vetlexicon – our online encyclopaedia providerAll our Vets & Nurses can apply for research fundingAll our Vets get £1250 per annum to spend via our Care FundInfection Prevention and Control ProgrammeQuality Improvement Programme
Professional Memberships
BVA membershipVDS coverRCVS fees
Colleague Benefits
Company pension scheme. IVC Evidensia will make a contribution as well Supporting a greener commute to work with a Cycle to Work scheme and Green Cars Scheme, subject to eligibility criteriaVoluntary benefits: we give you the flexibility to choose from a range of voluntary benefits to suit youAccess to discounts/cashback with hundreds of participating retailersDiscounted treatment for your own pets at an IVC Evidensia practice